Does anyone feel burnt out who has only been a nurse for 3 years.

CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN · Aug 1, 2007

i agree, the work of nursing is demanding and the general public are ungrateful to our being on duty for their welfare. i have been working for 2+ years as a telemetry nurse; the pay is fair, the work can be difficult and stressful; and the demands of the families are cooky. the general public has no idea what our job entails and expect fluffing of pillows, filling up of water pitchers over the checking of labs, assessment and communication to the physician to prevent real sh*t from hitting the fan! i see that you see we are in the same boat. thank you for posting this thread! the reactions to it will be interesting...

amy · Aug 1, 2007

Yeah that!!!

Kymmi · Aug 1, 2007

As far as the patients go and their expectations...you have to remember that most of the public are truly not aware of a nurses function. The only thing they really know about nursing is what they see on the television and if you think about it almost all programs related to a hospital setting portray nurses as unthinking, sexy women chasing MD's. I know there are a few programs out there that portray the nurse correctly but those are few and far between. Patients see the physican as the almighty and the nurse as the servant.

As far as management being out to get you...I am not sure thats entirely true however management has a different perspective when it comes to patients...its all about the paperwork, money, patient satisifaction scores, adhering to JCAHO guidelines, etc (you get the picture). Sometimes what is best for the patient isnt necessarily what the patient thinks is best so they complain to whoever they complain to in management and in order to acheive the patient satisifaction management caves.

I do understand what you are saying but Im not sure there is anyway to overcome the obstacles but I do think the best you can do is continue to do what you feel is right as long as patient safety isnt jeaparized and provide the best nursing care you can. If you have a patient that is not nice or violent I've already told those kind of patients that I will return to provide whatever care they need when they be civilized...I've yet to have any management speak to me about my attitude with patients like that....Im always professional when I let the patient and/or family know that rude or violent behavior will not be tolerated. (Its a different story if the patient is confused..in that case it's really difficult to rude or combative behavior against that sort of patient.)

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Aug 1, 2007

I am beginning to feel as burnt as a crispy piece of bacon, and I have only been in nursing for 1.5 years. Bedside nursing is rather incredulous...

The patients are demanding. A fair share of my time is spent dealing with food complaints, fetching coffee for patients, dealing with maintenance issues (broken telephone, TV won't work), and other customer service problems.

The family members are pushy. They seem to think that the nurse is to serve the patient from head to toe. They also assume that you should provide one-on-one care to their loved one, with absolutely no regard for the other patients on the unit.

The doctors are sometimes rude and arrogant, which adds to the workplace stressors.

To top the dessert, our nurse managers and administrators are pushing 'customer service,' which is thinly veiled permission for family members, patients, and physicians to walk all over the nursing staff as we flash fake smiles and coddle to their selfish needs.

I am burning up inside, like a piece of bacon that sizzles and pops in the frying pan. I apologize for the negative tone of my post. Perhaps it is time for a change of scenery.

NurseguyFL · Aug 1, 2007

Burnout is possible at any time. I've known people who quit altogether after only a few months. You are right that most people don't really understand what nurses do, and I can't think of too much that has ever been done to correct misperceptions about the nurses' role. For the most part, we accept it and say and do nothing. The hospital TV dramas may be fun to watch, but they all stereotype nurses as go-fers and make it seem as if doctors are the only ones who do all the important work. Now, if someone were to produce a true-to-life drama about what hospital work is really like, it wouldn't be very interesting to most people because there's nothing romantic about it and it might actually scare everyone who sees it away from the hospitals.

What is really killing us now is the corporate shifting of nursing care from health care to 'customer service'. Now patients and visitors just can't seem to get beyond the 'hotel' mentality, and if they don't get the pillows fluffed and the pitcher iced, they are on the phone complaining to administration about you within minutes. I'm sure we all have our own collection of stories to tell about this, and its just ridiculous. Sometimes you can even spend more time catering to the whims and fancies of the visitors than you do taking care of the patient, which is silly.

As for doctors, I don't take their crap either. When communicating with the ones who are rude, I just stick to the facts about the patient's care and then I'm done with them. If they decide to get snippy with me I politely let them know that I will be documenting, verbatim, whatever they tell me into the patient's record. That alone usually changes their attitude. Even the most arrogant of them know that nurses notes are fodder for a nasty lawsuit. Its too bad that some of us let them get away with abusing us.

To Commuter, I didn't think your post was negative. It describes the situation exactly the way it is. I won't burn out because I don't put up with foolishness or unreasonable demands from anyone, and will not let any doctor, patient, or their family members stress me out. I love and respect myself too much to let other people destroy my body and mind that way.

luvbug · Aug 1, 2007

to Sweetpea 839: There are many times when I feel burnt out. Somehow it's like I get over that 'hump' and feel much better for quite a while, then I get into a slump again.

I have been a nurse for about 7 years now, "they" say that nurses only last 7 years! Hopefully I am not at that point! I do kinda feel like my burnout phases are coming a little more often than they did in the beginning. Maybe you are in a burnout phase right now?

oramar · Aug 1, 2007

Well good for you. It took you three whole years to feel the burn. I would say say close to 50% of people feel it in 6 months to a year. You must be one tough cookie. Reach back and pat yourself on the back.

llg, PhD, RN · Aug 1, 2007

Burnout can happen at any time. The trick is to recognize the early warning signs and take action before you throw away the investment you have made in your career.

If you just keep plugging along without addressing the issue, you will eventually become so burned out that you leave the profession and have to start over in something else. If you keep doing that in life, you will never move forward.

Nurses who have long, successful careers are the ones who learn to recognize signs of stress and burnout in their early stages and address the issue rather than ignoring it until it becomes overwhelming. For some, the solution lies in learning to better manage the stress on a day-to-day basis. Learn to eat right, get exercise, schedule time for enjoying some fun stuff, taking care of their personal relationships well, etc. For others, they get "renewal" through taking on new roles at work such as preceptor, charge nurse, unit educator, manager, etc. For others, switching units to try a new department gives them a fresh outlook. For still others, going back to school to build on their experience and open up new career options is the answer.

I strongly urge those of you are are beginning to notice the signs of burnout to do some self-assessment -- and to make a plan to deal with those feelings in a positive way so that you can have long-term satisfaction in your nursing careers. Don't wait to addrss it until it is so overwhelming that all you can do is quit and start over with another career.

ICRN2008, BSN, RN · Aug 1, 2007

I'm already on the path to burnout. Poor scheduling, unresponsive managers and working nights have a lot to do with my stress. Rather than waiting it out like I did last time this happened (when I worked nights in the lab and waited 2 years before I finally found a new job). I am getting out now before I regret going into nursing in the first place. I have applied to five different organizations in the hopes that I will be able to find an outpatient, first shift position.

nurseinlimbo · Aug 1, 2007

I am there. I graduated in 2003 and have worked fulltime or more since then for more than one employer because there are no fulltime positions/jobs. Most jobs I've had have very poor morale, poor management, unrealistic expectations of nurses as far as workload and hours.

Right now I am off with a broken leg and my employer has caused me nothing but grief. Didn't file paperwork for unemployment insurance, thought I'd be back working my FTE by 6 weeks, and I have a fractured femur, can't walk.

I am ready to find a different career.

rehab girl · Aug 1, 2007

I have been a nurse for 4 years and am burned out also. Dealing with administration, rude pts, inadequate staffing, Press-Gainey scores, & co-workers obnoxious behaviors have all taken their toll. I'm looking to get into a different area of nursing so I can still use my degree.